Nemo
by AumbreSweets
Summary: Time has passed since Howl has regained his heart, Sophie has left, Howl has moved on. But whose this new girl and what's she hiding? H/OC rated M for later chapters. This story is currently under reconstruction. Stay tuned!
1. Chapter 1

This story is currently under reconstruction, bare with me please. :)

**Disclaimer**; All Howl's Moving Castle characters go to their rightful owners. Anyone not from the movie are my brain babies. I make no profit from this story.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The Prince had come back, like he said he would. He had done everything he could to win Sophie's heart. After a while her attentions where pulled from Howl and she started having feelings for the Prince. Eventually love. Now she was gone. He didn't blame her she needed a steady home. One place to stay where she could raise a family and be constantly tended to. He couldn't give her that. But he felt no sorrow, he was happy for her and the Prince. She had invited him to the wedding even. _And a pleasant wedding it was._ That was 3 years ago she now had 2 children both boys, twins in fact. He couldn't remember their names at the moment but Sophie had named them so they must have been good. Howl sighed. _The Prince was right hearts do change. So has mine. _He still loved Sophie in a way but he also loved her enough to let her go and let himself move on.

"Having a heart is a tough business."

Howl blinked out of his daze and glanced over at Calcifer. "Yes it is." Howl said smiling to himself. "You know Howl.. Sophie's been gone for a long time now. Maybe its time to get some new help for around the castle." Calcifer knew he was pushing the subject. He himself was irked a little by the thought of a woman other then Sophie in the house. Still he knew it was best, Markl and Howl wouldn't clean and he couldn't leave this hearth. His question -if it could be called that- was met with silence. "Howl?" Calcifer said a bit uneasily.

"You're right. This castle has gone to hell since Sophie left we need new help." With that Howl headed up the stair. _Odd no bath?_ Cal thought. "Oh, Calcifer heat up some water for my bath will you." Howl called down the stairs.

"YOU'RE A SLAVE DRIVER!" Cal wailed back.

~~~~~  
Markl walked in with an arm load of brightly coloured papers. Excitment radiating off him in waves. "What's up kid?" Cal called out curiously from his hearth. "These are the fliers for the new help." The young apprentice said with a smile. He was so excited soon there would be another person in the castle. _Master Howl is always gone or stuck up in his room and Calcifer can only do so much. _He thought ran over to the hearth and flashed one of the colourful fliers at the fire demon. "See!" He said grinning ear to ear. "With colors this bright someone has got to notice."

"Just remember kid don't get your hopes up. Lots of people are still afraid of Howl." Calcifer didn't want to crush the kid but he also didn't want him to be heart broken if no one showed up. "I know.." A serious look fell upon the boys face."But we could really use some help around here, plus I kind of liked it when everything was clean. Ya' know?"

"Yeah I know" Calcifer smiled up at the kid. He knew the truth, Markl missed interaction. He had been very close to Sophie and when she left it crushed him. The silence was broken by the sound of the colour knobs turning and Howl walking in the door. "Master Howl look at the fliers I'm going to put up! " Markl jumped up with the pile of papers. Howl took one and looked it over. He nodded his head in approval and walked up the stairs uttering only three words "Calcifer my bath."

"Calcifer do this Calcifer do that blah, blah, blah." Cal blew a huge cloud of steam out his ears in irritation. "Ok well I'm going to go and put up the fliers bye Calcifer!" Markl said barely glancing back as he ran out the door. "Bye kid." Cal called out to a now empty room.

~~~~~  
Markl was walking down the street putting fliers up everywhere he thought people would see. He'd been out for about two hours and was finally reaching the bottom of the stack when someone tapped his shoulder. "Excuse me but are these your fliers? " Said a light and sweet sounding voice.  
"Yeah duh why do you ask lad-" Markl turned around his eyes landed on gorgeous midnight black hair, so dark it shimmered blue. From behind blue black bangs forest green eyes looked down at him. Flecks of gold sparkling in them. "Please say you are asking about the job." Markl blurted.

"Why yes I am." The woman giggled. "You got it! " Markl said excitedly a smile plastered to his face. "Hehe, my name is Nemo" She said putting her hand out towards him. "Mine's Markl." Happily giving her hand a quick shake. "Come on you have to talk to Master Howl before you can actually work for us." Leading the woman called Nemo back to the shop connected to the castle. Every now and then he'd look back and get glimpses of the girl. She was shorter then him, maybe 5'3. Her hair reached past the middle of her back in a french braid. Her bangs the only bits of hair not in the braid. She wore a dark blue dress with corset pattern ribbons in the back and black boots. _Her eyes are eerily bright though. _He shook his head. It was probably just the contrast from her dark hair and clothes. Suddenly he stopped walking.

"Here we are." He said as he opened the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**; previous disclaimer still stands.

Cal was stirred from sleep by the sounds of the colour knobs turning again. Up the stairs came Markl with a woman in tow. "Calcifer look I found a lady who wants the job" Markl said rather proud of himself. "So soon?" Cal figured it would have taken a few days, weeks even if ever. "Go get Howl so he can approve her." She just stared at Cal in shock. _The fire could talk? _"Okay." Markl said as he dashed up the stairs. "You do understand what you'll be doing if you work here right?" Calcifer said looking the girl over. Nemo was still staring at Cal.

"Fire demon." The flame stated plainly.

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to stare." Nemo blushed in embarrassment. "So again you know what you'll be doing if you work here?" Cal repeated.  
"I believe the flier said cooking, cleaning, and other general housekeeper type things" Nemo said, starting to glance around the rest of the room. "Okay, just making sure" Cal nodded.

Markl came running back down the stairs. "Master Howl is on his way he said to take a seat over there." Markl pointed to the chairs pushed into the once again cluttered table. "Ok." Nemo nodded as she took a seat.

"So what do you think?" Markl said leaning closer to Calcifer. "She's prettier then Sophie but can she cook and clean like Sophie?" Cal whispered back. Something was strange about this new house keeper, he could feel it in his bones, if he had any.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Howl sighed. Already Markl had found a replacement for Sophie, she was waiting down stairs. _Better get this over with. _With another sigh he headed downstairs.

Nemo looked up as she heard boots walking down the stairs. _Here comes the heart eater Howl. _She had heard so many rumours about how he ate the hearts of beautiful young girls, how a young hatter had come and given her his heart and then returned his own and then left him for the Prince of the next kingdom. It was sad really, to her at least.

He slowly walked over eyeing her for a moment before taking the seat closest to her. "So." He propped his head up against his closed hand " You're the one who wants the house keeping job, am I right?" He said smoothly.

"Y-yes." Nemo gulped.

"Can you cook?" He asked.

"Yes."

"Can you clean?" He asked picking his head up.

"Yes." She said nervously.

"Hmm, what's your name?" He said looking straight at her. "Ne-" She paused for a moment. That look. It was like he was looking through her very soul. "Nemo."

"Nemo?" He repeated testing the name on his tongue. _Nemo? That's Latin for nobody.. What a strange name._

"Yes." Nemo nodded. "Great. You've got the job." Howl stood up pulling her with him. "W-what that easily? " She asked stunned.

"Why would you rather me have not given you the job?" Howl asked curiously. "No, no, thank you." Nemo was actually surprised he had actually just hired her.

"Now I'm sure you expect payment. I can only pay you a minimal fee. But I can give you a roof over your head, food to eat, and a room to sleep in." Howl said leading her up the stairs. "Oh that's fine." Nemo said. _Better then I had hoped_. She smiled to herself. "This will be your room." Howl said as he opened a door at the top of the stairs.

Nemo stepped into the room and looked around. It looked like the room had belonged to someone before her, long before her. The room was showing signs that it hadn't been touched in years. There was old clothing boxes on a desk by a window. A bed on the far side of the room, a small bed stand, a dresser with a mirror on it and a closet. Nemo turned around to say thank you but found that Howl was already gone. With a sigh she walked over to the mirror and wiped the dust off it. Looking through it to see her reflection.

"Master Howl says you start work tomorrow, today you can get settled into your room." Markl said from the door way. Startled Nemo turned around to quickly "Thank you, Markl?"

"Yeah, by the way don't worry if you don't see much of Master Howl. He's kind of flighty." Markl said walking into the room. "Flighty? how so." Nemo asked curiously. "Well he'll just up and leave." Markl said sitting on the bed "Sometimes for days" Nemo frowned. _Odd but then again maybe its common for a magician. _Nemo was jutted from her thoughts when Markl started fidgeting nervously.

"Is something wrong?" Nemo asked with a worried tone in her voice. "No, I have to go now bye." Markl said jumping up and out of the room.

"Odd." Nemo muttered to herself before she pulled a small cloth out of her bag [a/n: yes it was always with her I just never mentioned it] and started to wipe the dust off everything, starting with the mirror.

~~~~~~~  
Howl was sitting at a desk in his room looking down at a old spell book. _That girl, Nemo, there's something about her. Something strange. _Howl was stirred from his thoughts when a light knocking sounded from his door. "Come in." He called behind him.

"Master Howl?" Markl whispered peaking his head into the room. "Ah Markl it's you come in" Howl with a smile waving the boy into the room. Markl came in and shut the door behind him. "What is it you need Markl?" Howl asked the boy curiously.

"It's about the new house keeper." Markl said nervously. Howl frowned slightly. "Yes what about her?"

"Well see, I think she's a witch or something." Markl said looking at the floor. "What makes you think that?" Howl said. _He noticed something as well? _ "Her eyes. They just aren't natural." Markl said in a worried tone "Master Howl what if she's a monster in disguise?"

"Calcifer wouldn't have let her in if she was a monster" Howl said in matter-a-fact tone. _I'll have to look into this. _"Don't worry about it any further." He said with a dismissive air. Guesturing for his apprentice to leave.

Markl frowned as he left Howl's room. He felt bad for saying anything to Master Howl about Nemo. It wasn't that she seemed mean or that she had any air of deceit about her. She just didn't seem normal and as a future magician he had to keep his eye out for the possibility of danger. He felt silly for not having noticed it on the streets. Which confused him all the more.

~~~~~~~~  
Nemo was beating the dust out of the blankets when she saw Markl walk out of a room at the other end of the hallway. "Markl?" She called out. Markl stopped and looked at her "Yeah?"

"Is anyone making anything for dinner?"

"Not tonight" He said then walked away. _Hmm maybe I should make something._ With that Nemo put the blanket away and headed down the stairs to make dinner. When she got there Markl was already out the door, she was sure Howl was in his room. So Calcifer was the only one around. She eyed the room for a moment before going straight to the hearth.

"Hello." Nemo said to Calcifer sitting in the chair nearest the fire. Calcifer eyed the girl for a moment before replying back with a hello. "I want to make dinner tonight." She blurted. "And how do you plan to do that?" Calcifer said lifting a fire like brow.

"Well I was hoping you could help me with that. I don't know where anything is, and I don't see an oven anywhere." Nemo said in a hopeful tone, she hoped that he'd be willing to help her.

"Fine but what's in it for me?" Calcifer was an evil little demon. _Might as well get something out of this. _He thought. "Uhm I'm not sure. I don't have anything I could give you. Hmm." Nemo paused for a minute thinking "Oh! I could sing for you, as entertainment."

Calcifer thought about it for a minute not very often did he get honest entertainment. "Okay I'll help you if you sing for me." Cal finally agreed.

"Okay." Nemo smiled sweetly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**; original disclaimer still applies.

Howl looked up from his book. He could smell something delicious coming from downstairs. _Who's cooking?_ He stood from his desk and headed out of his room. At the top of the stairs the most beautiful sound met his ears.

"This is me for forever. One of the lost ones.  
The one without a name. Without an honest heart as compass."

Those melodious words stung at his heart. He walked to the bottom of the stairs to see Nemo leaning over the hearth singing. More of the beautiful words floating to his ears.

"This is me for forever. One without a name.  
These lines the last endeavor. To find the missing lifeline.  
Oh how I wish for soothing rain. All I wish is to dream again.  
My loving heart lost in the dark. For hope I'd give my everything.  
My flower, withered between the pages two and three.  
The once and forever bloom gone with my sins.  
Walk the dark path. Sleep with angels. Call the past for help.  
Touch me with your love and reveal to me my true name." Nemo finished softly.

"That was wonderful." Calcifer said from under a pan. "Thank you." Nemo said blushing darkly.  
Howl was bewitched. _Beautifully, she sang beautifully. _Howl walked right up next to her, so close that when she turned around she bumped right into him landing on her bottom with an "Oof!"

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry I-" Nemo stopped talking when she noticed Howl was just staring at her. _He's doing it again._ She gulped standing back up slowly, dusting off her dress. Nemo walked over to the sink and decided to busy herself with pouring some water into a kettle. As she did that Howl looked at what she had been doing.

_Stew?_ Howl thought. _She was making dinner. _"She even gave me some." Calcifer said noticing Howl line of sight "It's delicious Howl you should try some."

"That song." Howl said suddenly. "Where did you learn it?" Nemo stopped what she was doing and looked at Howl. "My- my mother taught it to me, when I was a little girl." Nemo said truthfully.

"It's a fairy song." Howl glanced at her. Nemo froze, all the colour drained from her face. "Yes I suppose it is." Nemo said nervously. Calcifer didn't seem to notice this but Howl did.

"Well dinner is done and I've already eaten so I'll be going to bed now good night gentlemen." With that Nemo was out the room and up the stairs. "You know Howl it wouldn't kill you to act normal for once." Calcifer said gruffly. Howl looked at the fire demon intently for a moment.

"Come on Calcifer." He said using the shovel to scoop out Cal. "Whoa Howl what are you doing!" Cal yelled as he was lifted quickly from the hearth.

"I need you for this one." Howl said as he walked up the stairs to his room. Calcifer just stared at Howl. _What is he up too?_

~~~~~~~  
Nemo shut the door behind herself and slid to the floor. "They don't know anything, they don't know anything." Nemo repeated quietly to herself for a while. Finally after calming down Nemo stood up and walked over to the bed and fell into it. Sighing she sat up and started removing her dress. When she was just in her under clothes she crawled under the blankets and snuggled into the sheets. Looking up at the ceiling Nemo started thinking about how she'd come to be in this position, working for Howl. "The heart eater." She muttered out loud.

-(flashback)-

She was from a very far away town. It was old and full of fairy people or ancients, as her mother had called them. They had built the town long before any humans had come to that area. They where kind to the humans who did come though, even benefiting from them in most cases. The two cultures had lived in peace for hundred of years. Many of the children of both cultures coming together. Forming bonds, friendships, and raising families. Nemo and her mother had been part of one of those families. Her mother had been half ancient, and her father human. Even though there had been peace and many families where happy there had still been others who didn't approve of the cross breeding.

Nemo's great grandparents had been that way. They didn't care for her, had even disowned their own daughter when she gave birth to her mother. After many years her great grandparents had convinced many of the ancients that the new ones (children of the crossed cultures) where dirty and shouldn't be aloud to live in the town any longer. Being the ones that lived there first and longest they where able to drive many of the humans and their families out. But others had grown up there and refused to leave. Nemo and her family had stayed. That's when things turned for the worst. The ancients who had driven out the others were furious and tried to attack the humans and their crossbreed children. Having never had fights or wars of any kind the ancients hadn't been prepared for the new ones to have any abilities. The fight had devastating effects. Many humans had fallen to ancients and many ancients fell to the new ones.

Nemo was a new one and had done everything to protect her father and cover her mothers back. In the end it was for nothing. Her great grandmother had killed her daughter first then came after Nemo's mother. She had screamed to her mother to look out, but it was already too late. Her mother fell. Nemo knew she had to protect her father at all costs and ran to him. Her only thought was to save her father, with her mother gone it was up to her. With just one good hit she was flung away from her father. Before Nemo could even get up her great grandmother attacked her father. He fell quickly. Nemo just stared at the lifeless forms of her parents. She had lost them. She turned cold hateful eyes on her great grandmother.

"Hrrraaaaahhh!" Nemo screamed as she jumped up and attacked her great grandmother. She punched, kicked, clawed, blew poisonous dust at her, everything she could think of. She was losing strength fast. Her great grandmother had gained the upper hand. Finally the old ancient threw out a punch that landed Nemo right in the face. Nemo stumbled back coughing and holding her bloodied nose.

"Today you die." Her great grandmother said evilly as her hand shot out and wrapped around Nemo's throat. "Hrrk." Nemo choked as she was lifted slightly off the ground. "You're a waste of life, do you know that? Your mother and grandmother died because they too where a waste of life." The ancient laughed as Nemo's face turned red in anger and lack of air. "A nobody." The ancient grasped Nemo's neck tighter "Your name says it all...Nemo.. nobody.. how fitting."

Finally done toying with the cross-ling the ancient tightened her grip till she heard a crunch. Nemo's eyes shot wide as her wind pipe snapped her body going limp. The ancient looked into the lifeless green orbs and smiled. Throwing the body to the ground she laughed as she walked away from the carnage she had created.

Nemo couldn't see or hear anything. Just feel the pain all over her body. Everything hurt so badly. She could tell her windpipe was broken. Could feel her obviously broken nose. Feel as the air tried to go to her lungs to keep her alive. She could still feel the ancients fingers around her neck. But slowly the pain ebbed away into a tingling warmth that spread across her whole body. As the tingling continued, Nemo's vision and hearing slowly came back. The sound of the ground under her and the sound of the wind. She could see the sky above her. After a while Nemo realised she could breathe properly. Her nose and windpipe weren't broken. Nemo sat up slowly scanning her surroundings. Her great grandmother was no where in site. Continuing her eyes fell onto her parents. Nemo quickly ran to them checking their pulse and getting nothing. They really where gone.

-(end flashback)-

Nemo rolled over and rubbed the tears out of her eyes. That had been over a year ago but still the death of her parents weighed heavily on her. She had been wondering from town to town, job to job. For some reason or another something always went wrong. She didn't understand it. Everything would be going great. She'd be happy then suddenly they'd fire her or one of the towns people would complain and she'd be asked to leave, willingly or otherwise. From downstairs Nemo could hear the front door open then the sounds of someone scrambling up the stairs and down the hallway. _What could be going on now?_ Nemo thought before rolling over again. Within minutes she fell into a deep sleep.

~~~~~~~~  
Markl was at first fearful when he saw that Calcifer wasn't in the hearth. Scampering up the stairs to Howl's room. Markl pounded on the door till it opened. Stepping in Markl notice that in Howl's hand was the shovel where Calcifer currently sat. With a big thankful sigh Markl fell into a chair. "Thank god. I thought something bad had happened to Calcifer." Markl said quietly. Howl patted the boy on the head reassuringly.

"No I just needed him for a spell." Howl said with a smile. That got Markl's attention "What kind of spell?"

"A spell to see peoples intentions and secrets they may be hiding from someone." Howl said putting some marks onto the table. "But isn't that a spell one uses against their enemies?" Markl said.

"To a point, if it was stronger then yes. But I'm not going to make this one that strong." Howl said right as he finished the markings. "Will it hurt her?" Markl said in a whisper. Howl looked Markl over for a moment. _Smart boy._

"If shes lying to us, then yes it will hurt a bit." He said honestly. "Oh.." Markl didn't want to hurt her, now more then before he wished he hadn't said anything to Master Howl. "Now Calcifer lets begin." Howl said lifting up the shovel.

~~~~~~~~  
Nemo stirred in her sleep. Sweat forming on her brow. Her dreams were filled with fire. It was everywhere burning her skin and filling the area with smoke. She felt her lungs burn with the need for clean air. She couldn't stop coughing, breathing had become impossible and painful beyond belief. As the fire started closing in on her she tried to look for a way out. It looked like the flames had consumed everything if there had ever been a way out it was long gone. She laid flat on her stomach breathing in as much of the cleaner air as she could before standing again this time with her face covered. She started running towards a smaller patch of flames. With a leap she jumped through it and landed on what felt like rocks, jagged rocks of all sizes. Her knees hurt from the fall and her eyes burned from all the smoke. Looking up she noticed a blue light up ahead. Walking towards it she noticed it wasn't light but blue fire. It looked so cold and almost comforting compared to the burning red and orange flames licking up at her from every direction. As she reached it she felt a sense of relief fill her heart and she fell into the comfortable cold of the blue flames. She sighed in content as the burning of the other flames stopped and her dreams went black.

~~~~~~  
"She's in the blue flames. Now is your chance." Calcifer said in a tired voice. Howl closed his eyes and felt himself being pulled into Nemo's mind. Instead of feeling hate and distrust he felt pain, over whelming pain. He was feeling what she felt and it brought him to his knees. Clutching his heart Howl stood up and went deeper into her mind. This was just her feelings he needed to see her thoughts, her memories.

After what felt like an eternity he made it to what he was looking for. A thought, what she was hiding from them. What he saw wasn't what he expected. He was in a village or what was left of one. He could hear screams and people crying out for help. The sounds of battle were everywhere. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Fairies and humans where fighting to the death. Everywhere he looked there were people engaged in battle. Scanning the area his eyes fell onto Nemo. She was screaming for another woman to look out. He saw as an older fairy woman took the woman down in one swipe. Suddenly Nemo turned and ran towards a man but the fairy deflected her and took him down as well. He saw Nemo turn to the woman and scream running at her blindly. Rage and hate in her eyes. Nemo fought for a long time but she was no match for the fairy. He saw as the woman punched Nemo in the face blood pouring from her nose. Taking that opportunity she wrapped her fingers around Nemo's throat and lifted her off the ground.

Howl watched as the woman said something and laughed before crunching Nemo's windpipe. He watched as the fairy dropped Nemo's now limp body to the ground and walked away. Leaving the girl to die alone. Howl walked towards Nemo's body, looking down at her in pity. He noticed her nose was slowly reshaping itself back together. He saw as her breathing became normal again and she opened her eyes and sat up. His brows lifted in wonderment. She had just healed herself from what normally would have been a death blow for other humans. He saw her get up and run towards the body of the man checked for a pulse then got up and ran to the woman and repeated the action. Her hand feel away from the body as tears started running down her face. Howl approached her as she started to sob."Mother, father. I'm so sorry I couldn't protect either of you, I'm so sorry." He had to resist the urge to comfort her. It would do no good here he wasn't a part of this memory. Slowly stepping back he decided he'd seen enough.

((CLIFF HANGER!))


End file.
